Wheel cover structure and assembly



Jan. .30, 1945. G. A. LYON 2,368,237

WHEEL COVER STRUCTURE AND ASSEMBLY Original Fiied Jan. 20, 1940ZnV'EnlEZ Patented Jan. 30, 1945 STRUCTURE AND WHEEL COVER ASSEMBLYGeorge Albert Lyon, Allenhurst, N. J.

Original application January 20, 1940, Serial No. 314,819, Patent No.2,312,568, dated March 2, 1943, now Reissue No. 22,428, dated February1, 1944. Divided and this application July 2, 1942, Serial No. 449,394

Claims.

This invention relates to a wheel cover structure and assembly, and moreparticularly to a novel wheel member or wheel cover which cooperateswith a vehicle wheel in a novel manner and which has an annular seriesof. openings therein through which a portion of the wheel may be seen.

This application is a division of my copending application, Serial No.314,819, filed January 20, 1940, issued as Patent No. 2,312,568, datedMarch 2, 1943, and reissued as Re. 22,428 on February 1, 1944, which isa continuation in part of my application for United States LettersPatent, Serial No. 80,395, filed May 18, 1936, upon which United StatesLetters Patent 2,231,930, issued on February 1S, 1941.

The wheel cover structure or cover member may be in the form of a wheeldisk or a trim ring. The wheel disk may either be in the form of anenlarged hub cap or it may be in the 'form of an annulus which partiallycovers the front face of a wheel. v

The majority of vehicle wheels of today are equipped with ornamentalwheel members or covers which extend over a portion of their outersurfaces. These wheel members or covers are usually provided with ahighly polished exterior surface; It has been found desirable in certaininstances to provide wheel cover structures or members having openingstherein through which a portion of the wheel may be seen. It is anobject of the present invention to provide a novel structure of thischaracter which cooperates with and which is secured to the wheel in a.novel manner.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel wheelcover structure or member having an annular series of openings thereinformed by striking out an annular series of tangs from the member whichtangs are bent back to form an attaching means for securing the memberto the wheel.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel wheelmember formed of relatively thin sheet material for disposition on oneface of a wheel which is economical to manufacture which may be readilyand quickly assembled on the wheel in substantially permanent engagementtherewith and which is rugged and reliable in use.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a novelwheel cover structure or member having an annular portion thereof lyingin intimate contact with a face of a wheel on which the member ismounted, and which portion is provided with an annular series ofopenings through which the wheel may be seen.

A further object of thi invention resides in the provision of a Wheelcover member or disk wherein the Openings in'the member are formed bystriking toothlike elements from the member for biting engagement withthe wheel to hold the member thereon.

Many other objects and advantages of my invention will become apparentfrom the following description and accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a vertical sectional view of a vehicle wheel and coverassembly;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary front view of a portion of the wheel and wheelcover assembly;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing the upperportion of the wheel and wheel cover assembly in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to Figure 3 showing amodified form of the present invention.

Referring now to the embodiment of the present invention which isillustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3, there is shown a wheel assemblycomprising a vehicle wheel l0 and a wheel cover or trim ring I I. Thewheel I 0 comprises a rim part l2 and a body part I3. The rim I2 is ofthe usual drop center type and includes a base flange l4, oppositeintermediate side flange l5, oppositeintermediate base flanges l6, andopposite edge portions IT. The drop center rim l2 as illustrated is ofthe type commonly employed in the automotive vehicle art of the presentday,-and, a is well known to those skilled in the art, is arrangedtoreceive and accommodate a pneumatictire (not shown). I

The body part l3 and wheel It] includes, in general, a rearwardlyextending outer flange I8, an outer web portion IS, a generally axiallyrearwardly and slightly radially inwardly extending inner web portion20, and a radially inwardly extending wheel mounting flange 2|. Therearwardly extending outer flange I 8 is secured to the underside of thebase flange M of the rim I2 in any suitable manner, such as by weldingor riveting (not shown). The circumferentially spaced portions of theflange I8 are depressed radially inwardly as at 22 to permit circulationof air through the wheel. The rear edges 23 of the depressedportion 22are cut back as is clearly shown in Figure l of the drawing. H

The' wheel mounting flange 2| is provided with an annular series ofapertures 24 for the reception of the usual wheel mounting bolts (notshown), which bolts are arranged to extend therethrough and toengagement with the hub portion or brake drum of the vehicle (not shown)The wheel cover or trim ring includes a principal body portion 26 whichis seated on and lies in intimate contact with the intermediate sideflange |5' of the rim I2 and inner and outer beaded marginal portions 21and 28 respectively. The principal body portion 26 has an annular seriesof apertures 29 (see Figure 2) formed therein by striking out tangs 30.These tangs or tooth like projections 30 are bent to extend obliquelyradially outwardly and axially forwardly of the wheel and in such aposition are disposed behind the outer beaded portion 28 as is clearlyshown in Figures 1 and 3.

The tangs or toothlike projections 30' are of? such length that when thetrim ring I! is forced onto the wheel ID, the tangs or toothlikeprojections 30 make a biting engagement with the in-- termediate baseflange l6 of therim I 2. An examination of. Figure 3 will show that. anytendenc for the trim. ring H to become dislodged from the wheel HI willonly cause the tangs or finger-like projections 30 to bite more deeplyinto the metal in the rim I2. Itwill thus be understood that the trimring l is ruggedly mounted on and secured to the wheel II] for it isonly by rupturing or partially rupturing or bending the fingersor tangs:30 that the trim ring may be removed from-the wheel- Ill after it hasonce been mounted thereon.

It vw'll further be observed that the annular series of openings 29 inthe trim ring permit portions of the front face of the wheel to be seen.

This providesa very striking ornamental appearance' since the trim ring.I may be: given a highly polished exterior finish and the intermediateflange l5 of the rim |2- may be enameiled any suitable color. whichprovides a: striking contrast to the highly polished exterior surface ofthe trimrlng when viewed through the openings 29. The trim may of'coursebe enamelled or otherwise painted and the portion of the wheel surfacewhich is exposed through the openings 29 may be highly polished insteador both the trim ring II- and thewheel l0 may be painted or enamelled'.

In Figure 4 of the drawing I have illustrated a modification oi'thetrimring shown in Figures 1 to 3. More particularly, a trim ring 3| isprovidedliavi'ng a principal bodyportion 3 2' which is seated on andlies in intimate contact with the intermediate side flange |=5-of'theri'm i2. The trim ring 3| also includes an inner" beaded portion33 and an outer extended marginal portion 34. This extended marginalportion 3!, instead or being. a simple bead as is shown in Figures 1 to3, is arranged to extend radially inwardly of the intermediatebaseflange it of the rim I2 and around the outer corner thereof intoengagement with the outer edge portion I! of the rim l2. The radialouter edge of then'iarginal portion 34 of the trim ring 3| is inturnedas-at 35i The principal body portion 32-ci't'he trimring 3| is providedwith an annular series of" apertures 38' which will form by striking outtangs 31'. These tangsor toothlike projections are bent around to"extend obliquely radially outwardly and axially forwardly oft-he wheeland are of such length that when the trim ring 3| is mounted on thewheel ID the tangs or finger-like projections 31 extend into bitingengagement with the inter mediate base flange l6 of the rim l2.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the presence of beads 21, 28, 33and 34 imparts a degree of rigidity to the trim ring which eflectivelysupports the same against buckling during handling and use.

It is to be understood that the embodiments as shown herein are forillustrative purposes and may be changed or modified without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the invention, as set forth in the appendedclaims.

What Iclaim is:

1. In a vehicle wheel and ornamental member assembly, the combinationcomprising a wheel having a multi-flange rim and body parts and a trimring mounted on said rim part, said trim rin'g'i'ncluding an annularportion eated on and lying in intimate contact with one face of said rimpart and a marginal portion of arcuate crosssection extending over theedge portion of said rim, said annular portion of said trim ring having.a plurality of attaching fingers struck therefrom and. bent back toextend obliquely, axially. forwardly behind said marginal portion and.into biting engagement with said wheel, said trim ring having an annularseries of apertures therein where said attaching finger have been strucktherefrom through which portions of said wheel maybeseen. I

2. A sheet metal ornamental member for disposition on the outer face ofa wheel having a multi-fiange tire rim and a central load bearingportion, saidmember comprising an annulus, and having inner and outerperipheral margins thereof formed to provide outwardly convex beads oneof which is constructed to overlie the outer surface of the edge portionof the multiflange tire rim of a wheel over which it is disposed and anintermediate portion disposed between the adjacent edges of said beads,said intermediate portion being seated on and lying in intimate contactwith one face of said wheel, and having a plurality of attaching fingersstruck therefrom and bent back to extend. obliquely, axially, forwardlybehindaaid ornamental member and into biting. engagement'with the wheel,said. intermediate portion having an annular series of aperturesthereinwhere said attaching fingers have been struck therefrom, throughwhich portions of said wheelm'aybe seen.

3. An annular'sheet metal ornamental member for disposition on the outerface of a wheei having a multi-flange tire rim, said member having the:inner and: outer peripheral margins formed to provide outwardly disposedconvex beads, one of which is constructed to overlie the edge portion ofthe rim at a wheel over which. it is disposed. and. having: an annularintermediate portion seated on and lylni in intimate contact with aportionv of the wheel, said intermediate portion having an annularseries of wheel attachin fingers struck therefrom and bent back behindsaid member to provide an annular series of openings in said memberthrough which portions of the wheel may be seen, said fingers extendingobliquely, axially; forwardiy to provide biting engagement with saidwheel for assembly purposes.

4. Ida vehicle wheel and ornamental assembly comprisinga wheel havingrim and body parts and a trim ring mounted on said rim part, said rimparthaving an outer edge portion and intermediate base'l'langes, saidtrim ring comprising an annular member having its outer peripheral edgeformed to lie in intimate contact with the outer surface of the edgeportion or the rim,

having a portion thereof inwardly of the outer edge formed arcuately toprovide a cover for the outer surface of the intermediate base flangeand having an outwardly convex portion disposed inwardly of said lastnamed covering portion, a bead formed at the inner peripheral margin ofsaid annular ornamental member, and an intermediate, annular flatportion formed between said last named bead and the outwardly convexportion, said intermediate portion having a plurality of attachingfingers struck therefrom and bent back to extend obliquely, axially,forwardly behind said convex portion and into biting engagement with theouter surface of the intermediate base flange of the rim, saidornamental member 1' 5. In a vehicle wheel and ornamental memberassembly, the combination comprising a wheel having a rim with edgeportions for receiving the radially inner part of a tire therebetweenand a central load bearing part, a trim ring mounted on said rim, saidtrim ring including an annular portion overlying one face of the wheeland a marginal portion of arcuate cross-section extending over an edgeportion of said rim, one of said portions of the trim ring having aplurality of attaching elements struck therefrom and bent backrearwardly behind the trim ring and into retaining engagement with saidwheel, said trim ring having an annular series of apertures thereinwhere said attaching elements have been struck therefrom through whichportions of the wheel may be seen.

GEORGE ALBERT LYON.

